Automatic danger-signal for railways.



No. 743,063. PATENTED NOV. 3, 190's s. M. DAVIS. AUTOMATIC DANGER SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1903.

N0 onm.

Tm: NORRIS PETERS an. moi

Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN M. DAVIS, OF NINETYSIX, SOUTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC DANGER-SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 743,063, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed August 5,1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, STEPHEN M. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ninetysix, in the county of Greenwood and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Automatic Danger-Signal for Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to an automatic danger-signal for railways, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one designed to be arranged adjacent to a railroad-track and adapted when the track is in proper condition to lie out of sight and capable in event of a washout of automatically assuming an upright or exposed position for warning trains of the dangerous condition of the track.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a track provided with an automatic danger-signal constructed in accordance with this invention and arranged in a horizontal position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the arrangement of the signal when there is a washout. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the construction of the spiral slot.

Referring to the drawings, l-designates a rod or bar provided at one end with a signal and having a weight 3 at its other end adapted, as hereinafter explained, to swing the rod or bar automatically from a horizontal position to an upright position. The rod or bar is provided between its ends with an enlargement 4, having a spiral slot 5, adapted to receive a horizontal pivot 6, whereby the rod or bar is capable of oscillation and partial rotation to swing the same to an upright position and to turn the signal in proper position for warning approaching trains of the Serial No. 168,253. (No model.)

dangerous condition of the track in the event of a washout. The signal, which may be of any desired construction, is preferablyin the form of a semaphore and consists of a circular disk which is adapted to lie flat against the road-bed with its edges disposed longitudinally of the track and which when partially rotated will be disposed transversely of the track to permit it to be clearly seen from an approaching train.

The horizontal pivot is supported at its ends by brackets 7, which are bolted or otherwise secured to the adjacent'rail 8; but they may be mounted on the cross-tie or supported in any other desired manner. Also instead of employing a semaphore any other form of signal may be used and suitable provision may be made for enabling the signal to be seen at night.

The signal is normally arranged in a horizontal position upon the road-bed with the weighted arm extending beneath the track, and when there is a washout the weighted arm will swing downward and will elevate the signal to an upright position for displaying the same. I

It will be seen that the automatic dangersignal is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be applied to a railway-track, and that it is capable of automatically assuming a position for displaying itself in the event of a washout.

What I claim isy 1. A signal for railway -tracks, arranged normally below the plane of the track, and means for automatically raising the signal to exposure in event of a washout, substantially as described.

2. A signal for railway-tracks, and an automatically-operating arm normally supported by the road-bed, and adapted tobe freed by a washout whereby thesignal will be carried to a position for displaying it in event of a washout, substantially as described.

3. A pivotally-mounted signal, normally arranged in unexposed position, and means supported by the road-bed for automatically carrying the signal to an exposed position in event of a washout, substantially as described.

4E. The combination of a support, a semaphore carried by the support and means for automatically raising and partially rotating the support, in event of a washout, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a rod or bar, having a spiral opening, a pivot arranged in the opening, a signal carried by the rod or bar, and a Weight for actuating the rod or bar whereby the rod or bar will be actuated and 1d partially rotated, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have hereto afiixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

I STEPHEN M. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

JNo. B. SLOAN, W. O. SELF. 

